BACKGROUND
If Pico de Loro were a blockbuster movie, its sequel would be Mt. Marami, set in the same location and sharing the same characteristics. Matching Pico de Loro's rocky tower are two grand structures, surging up from the slopes: the summit of Mt. Marami, a massive, monumental composite of rocky pillars; and its guardian, the smaller Silyang Bato. The name 'Marami' is of local origin, and is attributed to the 'many rocks' that formed it. Subconsciously, this choice of name is profound, considering the sedimentary nature of the rocks found in Marami. Indeed, in recent geologic past, Mt. Marami below sea level. Silyang Bato, for its part, has a more modern etymology; according to the locals its original name is 'Nagbuo', and was christened with its present name by the earlier mountaineers.

The major jump-off to Mt. Marami is Brgy. Ramirez in Magallanes, Cavite. However, the summit and its environs are under the jurisdiction of Maragondon. It is a 3-hour drive from Manila; passing by the coastal road, onwards to Tanza, then Naic; from Naic a jeepney can take you to Magallanes. Brgy. Ramirez is just 10 minutes away from the town proper, and accessible by tricycle. Go to the barangay hall, where you can arrange for guides, or proceed to do the trek.

The trail begins smoothly; although it poses concerns for both wet and dry seasons. It is severely muddy when wet; whereas sun exposure is notoriously acute when dry. Even so, the views are rewarding. The first landmark is 'Ilog na Kayrayag', a nearby river; next is Bangkaan River, which you have to pass thrice. In both rivers, you have the wade your way -- water is usually knee-deep though with heavy rains, they may swell to forbidding levels. The last river crossing is around 1.5 hr from starting point. A bamboo bridge was in place here, before it was wrecked in April 2007.

The ascent commences after Ilog Bangkaan; and here, there are two variants of the trail. One is the Nuestra Senora dela Paz variant, and the other is the Talahib variant. The former offers frontal views of both monuments (including a close-up of Silyang Bato), and is recommended over the Talahib, even as the latter has a more gradual ascent, and it is the one used by the locals. In both trails, the environment is comprised by woodlands and sections of grasslands.

THE NUESTRA SENORA TRAIL
This trail approaches Marami from the west. Thirty minutes into the Nuestra Senora, you'll encounter a nipa hut, called 'Kapihan' by some. Nearby is the last water source. An hour into the trail is Campsite 1, which offers majestic views of Silyang Bato and Mt. Marami. After one more hour of trekking, the bamboo forest will be reached. After an hour, Campsite 2 appears, in the southern portion of Mataas na Gulod. From here, you will enter another forested part to reach the base of Marami, where a campsite, the one most often used, is located. A ten-minute assault of the summit ensues.

THE TALAHIB TRAIL
This trail approaches Marami from the south. It uses a "saddle peak" - the slopes of Mataas na Gulod peak on the south side - instead of approaching Mt. Marami directly. Hence the ascent is more gradual. Instead of following the river to Nuestra Senora, you go straight, and after 1.5 hours, you'll encounter a nipa hut. Beyond this, you will see the two structures for the first time. The trails from here on are mostly 'talahib' grassland - the talahib can grow very tall and may obscure the trails. You may encounter grazing cows at this point. Then a campsite will be reached after over an hour, just below the 'Mataas na Gulod'. Afterwards, you will approach Mt. Marami via the bamboo forest. The trails here can get very confusing. After the forest, a clear-cut path to Mt. Marami emerges; and just five minutes of bouldering will take you to the summit of Mt. Marami.

At the summit, rocks, patched with unusual mosses, lichens, and ferns, comprise the scene. Winds are strong and weather is cool. Dramatic views ensue, affording a panorama of the Maragondon mountains, including Pico de Loro, Mt. Mariveles, and even Mt. Banahaw. Dramatic rock formations, set in this beautiful background, create an infinite number of photo opportunities.

(2) Jeep, Naic to Magallanes [35 pesos, 45 minutes - 1 hour)
(3)Tricycle, Magallanes Police Station to trailhead [30 pesos/person; 20 minutes]
*Note: 5pm is the last trip of the jeepney from Magallanes to Naic. Tricycles are available until 2100H and can be rented to take you all the way to Naic. Chartering jeepneys is also a n option.Approximately 3 hours travel time because of various stops and delays.

Private. Take CAVITEX or Aguinaldo Highway all the way to Naic, Cavite, then follow the signs to Magallanes. Ask directions for Brgy. Ramirez. Parking is available near the barangay hall.

Approximately 2-2.5 hours travel time

Registration

(1) Register at barangay hall. No fees collected.
(2) Logbook at the house past the first river crossing. P20 registration fee.Note: The mountain's jurisdiction is disputed by Maragondon. Let us know if there are any changes.

TRIVIA
Average trek time is 5 hours. Interestingly, the water in the rivers and streams are milky white. However, when the rivers swell, it becomes murky brown. This is also the time when locals would go to the banks and try to catch some fish.

Mataas na Gulod was a more prominent landmark before the "discovery" of Mt. Marami. Its elevation is probably around 300 MASL. Speaking of elevations, the circulating elevation of Mt. Marami at 840 MASL is a gross overestimate. It might probably be referring to feet instead of meters, as 280 MASL would be a valid estimate using satelite data. The 405 MASL used in this IT is from the author's own measurement.

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comments:

Sir, would it be stressful to go on a daytrip in this mountain? I am planning to bring my father who is in his 50s and have just climbed dagulgul and wanted to climb more. Would you recommend this mountain for beginners? =)

sir john, mt. marami is recommended for beginners as an overnight climb -- but as a daytrip it might be quite challenging even for regular hikers unless you arrive very early at the jumpoff. especially if its raining coz it gets muddy.

as far as i know, there hasn't been any report of theft or any untoward incident lately.

the mountains of the south are generally safe. true, there have been isolated cases in the past, but i am of the opinion that it shouldn't be reason enough for not climbing. still, however, precautions must be made: don't bring too much cash and expensive gadgets. and always register / get in touch with the locals.

sir, may bago trail sa mt.marami as per kuya heron son of tatay ben the brgy chairman( they're living in nuestra if u will look for them.. they can guide u with a minimal fee) thats one solid 30 min to 1 hr assault then u will take the long ridge trail to the summit 2 to 3 hrs.. that is a almost flat grass land trail and nice views for pics... di na nga po pala si kon.punongbayan ang konsehal dun.. he lost last election but he still helped us to be accomodated a Lil advice for us 1st timer there and shower.. thanks to him... - KARL of PIKNIKERS MOUNTAINEERS

I took the kids up Marami yesterday. The rivers were obligingly benign but the mud was not! FYI- when registering at Ramirez, the chap to find is the friendly and helpful Erwin Bencito (09085678171). He has replaced the contact you have in the text.

we've been here lately and its true that there are many "LIGAW" - confusing trails especially in descending thats why it is advisable to have a guide. (via nuestra senora trail). Maligayang Paglalakbay sa inyong lahat! Mabuhay mga Bundokero't Bundokera!

i'd just like to continue the last post's buko anecdote...me and my fellow climbers enjoyed the buko at ramirez, in fact on our descent had it not been for the kind kuya that came along and managed to open a couple of coconuts for us we probably wouldn't have made it down in time. the buko juice here is the tastiest and sweetest i've ever had. if there was anything that could bring me back to ramirez it wouldn't be mount marami but the buko juice. more power to pinoy mountaineer and Godbless to all you guys!

guys... we are planning to make an open climb to mt. marami on feb 13 and 14th. Yes valentines day climb. Thanks for the tips on this post, this is very helpful. This is al from voyager adventure club, please visit our site at www.voyageradventureclub.multiply.comThank you! text me... 09162974659

mga mam sir baka po may info po kayo or contact no. from brgy. wer planning to climb po on april and planning to have activity like reuse reduce recycle campaign at the community before we climb to mt. marami. baka po meron kayo dyan.thanks po...more power po.

we might climb this Mountain in the month of july prob 3rd week,babalikan lang po namin,dahil 8 hours kami naligaw pababa, madami talaga daan at ligaw,noong time namin last year Oct ay walang water source kahit kakatapos lang ng Bagyo, we brought 6L each just for an overnight stay,Guide is not required, but i suggest to get a guide kung gusto niyo mapabilis ang akyat at wag maligaw, oh pano, Ingat!_DaryL_

Nakakaligaw siya kahit may araw. but if you're in for some adventure, then try a night trek. I have no idea how much the guide would charge but for that kind of trek, P200 to P500 would be reasonable depending on your climb size. Over P500 would be overcharging. I'll be climbing there too this weekend. Hope to see you guys there!

Maraming umakyat last weekend (jan 15-16). 80 %, I think, failed to summit! Some groups left Manila at 0500hrs. With our 0800hrs ETD, I thought we would run out of space at the campsite but we were surprised to know that we (me and two of my friends) were the first to summit, well not counting the armed locals (probably rebels) that I met at the summit.Warning: Climbing Mt Marami is no joke! I guided two friends last December and these friends guided a group last weekend. They got lost...reassembled on Sunday.Another friend hired a guy at Ramirez. Only one of them summited (taking the challenge of the precarious boulder face). Their guide left them at the campsite at the foot of the boulder.I think only my group (3pax) took the new trail. Everybody else took the old nuestra trail. Most guides in ramirez don't take the new trail. I think Orangutan mtneers did a successful traverse (old-new trail).Pag wala kayong guide, ewan ko lang! test your instincts.Or you may use my old photo IT! http://adonisextreme.multiply.com/photos/album/97/mt_marami_feb_14-15

Good Day Sir Lagataw! We are planning to climb Mt. Marami this coming February. I just wanna ask if the registration at the Police Station is a must, or we can just do that through the Barangay? Thank You so much. - POPO of St. Martin De Porres Mountaineers

sir gud,,me and my ofismates wnt to go to mt.marami for a night trek this coming saturday feb 19-20,is there anyone who can give us some info if it is advisable to have a night trek to mt.marami?tnx in advance....God bless you all.

Yep ser Mackoy! I hope you're referring to this number: 09083246967 (Jed Pol). He's a volunteer guide. He doesn't charge any amount. Just cover his necessary expenses. He will actually guide someone tomorrow on a night trek @ Mt Marami. Any feedback on him and the way he guides, send it to 09202522176! He will also soon be doing voluntary guiding in Mt Makiling (Maktrav) in case any of you is interested!

About the Blog

The Lonely Planet-recommended web portal for hiking in the Philippines, PinoyMountaineer has the most comprehensive list of guides for mountains and outdoor destinations in the country, as well as bulletins to keep you updated with the local mountaineering scene. This blog is authored by Gideon Lasco, avid mountaineer and medical doctor, and was established in 2007 with the help of Ivan Henares of the award-winning travel blog Ivan About Town.